Aeroplane



Q.GUNDERS0N.

AEHOPLANE.

vAPPLICATION FILED MAR. 23. i920.

Patented De@.14,1920.

OZe @a/mnsm l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLE eUNDEnsoN, or scHENEcTA'DY, NEW Yoan.

AEROPLAN E.

Application led March 23, 1920. Serial N0. 368,005.

A V'more especially to launching and landing devices; and the object ofthe same is primarily to construct a flying machine which is deslgnedand intended to rise along a substantially vertical line under theimpulses of its own propellers. 'l

In carrylng out this object, Ione feature of the invention is thearrangement of its supporting chassis.

Another feature is the special seaty for the driver.

Another feature is -the special anchor.

Details of the invention as applied to any ordinary biplane are setforth below` and shown in the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine about to ascend.

Fig. 2 vis a plan view of the machine in iii ht, the planes being dottedonly. he body of the machine is broadly designated by the letter B, Pare the planes, T the tails controlled by a steering device or stick S,and E the motor or engine controlled by a lever L; and no novelty isclaimed for the pa rts mentioned.

The vdriving mechanism .in the present case consists of a relativelysmall propeller l having two blades and mounted on a shaft 2 whichrotates in a bearing 3, and a relatively large two-bladed propeller 4mounted on a sleeve 5 surrounding the shaft 2 'and in its own bearing6,'this propeller having its blades pitched and therefore as a wholerotating'oppositely'to the other and in a pla-ne a little distance fromit. Power is communicated from the motor or engine E to the shaft andsleeve in any suitable manner,v

as for instance by the bevel gearing broadly indicated at 7 in Fig. 1.v

The drawings show the elements L and S for controlling the engine andfor steering, and these elements will stand within reach f of anoperator mounted' on vhis seat. The latter -in this case lis speciallyconstructed,

vthe ground h aving a bottom 10 and a back 11 at about rlght angles toit, and both being rather narrow as shown in Fig. 2, the seat beingmounted on standards or supports 12 which hold it-rigid with the body nomatter what position the latter-assumes. Ordinarily the drlver will siton the seatbottom 10, but when ascending or starting along` a practically vertical line he `will slide back and sit on the seatback 11 asindicated in Fig. 1, and the bottom should be rather narrow` so'Y thathis legs can pass astride it at this time. The harness for holding himin place will be constructed with a view to permitting him to shifthisposition as thus suggested. l

The launching and landing devices employed in connection with themachine vas thus described are specially constructed in order that thebody B will stand almost vertical when the base of the chassis rests `onthe ground. .Said chassis is herein shown asv having a pair of frontlegs 20 leading `downward and rearward from the body Band diverging fromeach other, and a single rear leg 21 leading back from the body to apoint beyond the tails, or at least to such point that it will hold thetails oft' the ground; and 22 designates truss rods for bracing thelegs. This chassis may have for its base any suitable supports Vvs uchas skids, shoes, pontoons, or wheels 23 and 24 as shown; but it islimportant that, whatever the form taken by the supports,'the base ofthe chassis shall stand nearly at right angles to the length of thebody. Therefore when said base (the wheels as shown) rests on the groundthe body B stands upright on forward a little from a strictly verticalline. In connection with this structure I preferably make use of ananchor, herein shown as composedy of a. rope 25 connected with some partof the chassis and hanging therefrom, and a spring clip 26'carr1ed by.theV rope and adapted to be engaged lwith some fixed object such 'as thestump 27 herein illustrated, although of course any hea object such asla stone or perhaps an. atten ant vwould answer. The purpose of thelanchor is to hold the machine upright on `its base ready to start, andthev spring clip will` slip off the object 27 (or be released by the',"attendant) when the start is made.

In launching a machine as thus constructed, it is stood on the base ofits chassis as seen Fig. 1 and anchored `ifan anchorv and by preferenceinclined olf the object 27, the retarding eect of the anchor no longerprevails, and the aeroplane rises along a substantially vertical line upwhich it is pulled by the combined action of the two propellers. Whenthe desired altitude has been attained, the operator through hiscontrols puts the machineon an even keel and continues his fli'ght asusual.

When a landing is to be made, the machine is steered to a point near thesurface and then its nose turned upward, the speed of the propellers isretarded and the momentum of the machine soon ceases, and then by propercontrol the operator can permit the machine to settle tail-first 'untilhe' lands on the base'of the chassis with the nose of the machine in theair and again in the position occupied at starting. In other words,launching' is eectedy by use of a. chassis which holds the machine' withits nose upward,'and employment of themotor and propellers; and landingis efected by a tail drive, while descent is retarded and controlled bythe same propellers. It is obvious that the wheels 23 and 24 might bereplaced by other forms of shoes, and even pontoons could be used at thebase of the chassis so that the machine could rise from and ali ht uponthe water.

hat is claimed as new is:

1. In anaeroplane, a launchlng and landing chassis carried by the bodywith its base substantially at right angles to the length of suchbody,and anchoring mechanism adapted to make frictional engagement with somefixed object.

2. The combination with an aeroplane including a-body and tails; of achassis including a rear leg projecting from the bodyv beyond `thetails, fixed front legs", and supports o n said legs producing ay basefor the chassis standing in a plane substantially at' right angles tothe length of the body.

3. The combination with. an aeroplane including a body and tails;'of achassisincluding a rear leg projecting from the body beyondthe tails,front legs projecting obliquely downward .and rearward from the front ofthe body and diverging fromV each the controls, and a seat Leeaaeacludingabody andtailsmfa launchin chassis including legs projectingobliquely rom the front of the body, and beyondthe tails from the rearof the body, and wheels on said legs in a plane substantially at rightangles to the length of the body, and anchoring mechanismincluding aspring clip suspended from said chassis and adapted to make frictionalengagement with some fixed ob- 'ect., J 5. In an aeroplane, thecombination with a bodyfand its tails and driving mechanism, thecontrols, and a seat ixedly supported from the body adjacent thecontrols and including a narrow bottom and aback at right angles.thereto; of a launching chassis carried by the body and with its base ina plane across the rear of the tails substantially at right angles tothe length of the bOdy;

6. In an aeroplane, the combination with a body and its tails anddriving mechanism, iXedly supported fromthe body adjacent the controlsand including a narrowbottom and a back at-right angles' thereto;y of alaunching'l chassis carried by the body for holding the lattersubstantially vertical with its tails 'above the surface, and anchoringmechanism includ'- ing a rope cbnnected with the body and a spring clipcarried by the rope and l'adapted to engage a fixed object.

7l. he combination with an' aeroplane including a lbody and. tails; of achassisincluding a rear leg rojecting from the body beyond the tails,ront legs projecting obliquely rearward from the frontof the -body anddiverging from each other, braces for the legs holding their-lower endsin a plane substantially at right angles tothe length of the body, andanchoring mechanism including a rope y'connected with the braces andvmeans on said rope adapted to makefric,

tional engagement with some fixed object.

In testimony whereof I aiiix mysignature in the presence of twowitnesses.

